Guatemala: Wal-Mart Opens New Supermarket

The new Hiper Paíz will open next week, at the Eskala Shopping Mall, becoming the chain's seventh hypermarket in the country.

Wal-Mart Central America is betting, with this new supermarket, to capture clients from the Mixco municipality and the neighboring departments of Sacatepéquez and Chimaltenango.

Wal Mart's Guatemalan Corporate Affairs Manager, Mario Cuevas, commented about the new project to Sigloxxi.com: "We are proud of Hiper Paiz's Mixco inauguration. We are finishing the last details of the new store to receive customers and give them a pleasant shopping experience".

Located in Zone 17 of the capital, the chain has opened the Paiz Santa Amelia superstore, its 30th in the country.

The opening of the Wal-Mart store directly created 78 new jobs as well as 97 indirect positions.

"The 2,513 m2 facility features features parking at the front of the supermarket and sustainable energy characteristics through its balance of natural and LED lighting to illuminate the store," reports Sigloxxi.com.

The investment of $1 million for the new Despensa Familiar (Family Pantry) store is part of the company’s expansion and investment plan in the country.

The operations manager of Family Pantries, Fabricio Molina, told La Prensa Gráfica: "In the next six months, the corporation (Wal-Mart Central America) will be opening six more stores which will be located in various parts of the country, including the capital.